Wrapping machine



' H. A. DlxN v 1,783,226

WRAFPING MACHINE Y 4 Sheets-Sheet Filedfeb. 3. 192s WRAPPING momma ATTORNEYS nega-1930. 'Hw/DIXON 1,783,226-

WRAPPING MACHINE AFiled Feb. 5 192g 44 Sheets-Shea?l 3 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED s'rxrlss PATENT ori-ICE A HAROLD W. A. DIXON, OF HOLLIS, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR T0 COLUMBIA RIBBON &

CARBON MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., OF GLEN COVE, LONG ISLAND, A OOR- WRAPPING- AMACHINE Application led February 3, 19,28. Serial No. 251,511.

This invention relates to an'improved apparatus for wrapping articles, being particularly adapted'for use in the manufacture of typewriter ribbons, in applying a wrapper to the spool. Heretofore this wrapper, which is usually tin foil, has been applied by hand, and while hand operators after long practice become fairly expert in applying the wrapper to the spool, nevertheless the hand process is slow as compared to machine wrapping by my apparatus. The present invention provides a machine capable of applying the wrapper automatically, the only hand operation necessary being the supplying of the spools to a magazine, the machine wrapping the spools automatically and discharging them upon an unloading platform.

While the present machine willbe described with reference to the wrapping of spools of typewriter ribbons, it is to be 'understood that this use is illustrative and not definitive inasmuch as the machine is ca pable of wrapping other articles.

In the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of my invention has been illustrated,

Fig. 1 is a plan view; v Fig. 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of certain details of the machine; while Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are sectional views of the ,slides employed in applyingthe wrapper,

these gures showing lthe wrapper in its various stages of application.

The machine of this application, as above mentioned, is automatic in operation, it being merely necessary to charge a magazine or feed hopper with the spools of ribbon, or

other articles to be wrapped, the spools thereafter feeding automatically into the wrapping mechanism, one by one, where it is wrapped and thereafter discharged from the machine.

In general, the machine of this application provides an apparatus in which the wrapping material such as tin foil for example is fed to the machine and cut ofi' to the desired length, automatically whereupon an article to be wrapped is advanced tov position thereon, a plunger then descending upon the spool i or other article to be' wrapped to depress the spool and the tin foil which is beneath it below the level of a slide which is then recip- 4rocated across the Vtop of the spool, one mofirst instance, depression of the spool and foil effects a wrapping of the bottom and sides of the spool, so that it only remains to fold the foil over the top of the spool to complete the wrapping operation.

Ad/vamcng ami severing wwclzanism for the wrapping 'material As above pointed out the wrapping material, tin foil for example, is fed to the machine automatically, and cut ofi automatically to length. The foil designated 2 is fed to the machine by two feed rollers, an upper roll or roller 3 and a lower roll or roller 4. The foil which is fed from a supply roll, passes to the machine over a guide roller '5, thence' 'between feed rollers 3 and '4 and through guide ways 6 to position directly above the restricted opening or wrapping station 7, provided in the bed plate 8 of the machine, this opening which extends completely through the bed plate/receives thespool in the wrapping operation, in fact effects in con: junction with other mechanism, a partial Wrapping, all of which will be explained fully hereinafter. t

Inasmuch as the entire machine is operated intermittently owing to the several steps involved in the feeding and wrapping process, the wrappin material 2 is necessarily fed or advanced on y intermittently. To this end, therefore, the shaft 9 to which the lower feed4 'roller 4 is fixed is provided with a gear 10,- vloose on the shaft, and meshing with a rack shaft| 9. The `rack 11 is adapted t0 be actuated in a direction to move the gea' 1.0 clock WISO l1S V10Weti 111 Fig. 4 hy a har l5 integral with the rack and mounted in guides 16, the lower end of this bar being attached as indicated'at 17, to one end of foil feed lever 18. This lever is pivotally mounted at 19 and is i'ockcd on its pivot to actuatc the rack 11 by a cam 20, which I will term the foil feed cam, this cam being mounted on a drive shaft 21 which is the drive shaft for the entire machine and is driven by a motor M.

The foil feed lever 18 is provided with a cam follower 22 made adjustable so as to vai'y the extent of movement of the feed rack. The reverse movement of the feed rack is limited by a stop 22.

lV ith the cam 2O rotating clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 it will be apparent that the resulting movement of the foil feed rack 11 will cause the gear 10 to rotate clockwise as viewed in Fig. 4, and inasmuch as the disc 12 is attached thereto, the disc will be caused to rotate in a clockwise direction also, and the pawl 13 engaging the ratchet wheel 14 will cause the. latter together with the roll 4 to rotate clockwise. Consequently the foil 2 will be advanced to the right as viewed in Fig. 4, traveling through the guide 6 to a position over the opening 7 heretofore referred to in the bed plate 8. The amount of foil fed on each operation depends of course upon the amount of travel given to the foil `feed rack 11 which as above mentioned, can

be adjusted as desired.

The next step in the operationof my improved machine is the cutting to length of the wrapping material 2, and this is effected by a knife blade 23 mounted adjacent the end of the foil guides 6 and pivoted at 23.

The knife 23 is adapted to be actuated by knife-actuating rod 24 attached at its upper end to the knife blade opposite the pivot 23 and pivotedat its lower end to cut-off lever This lever is pivoted at 19 and is provided intermediate its ends with a` cam follower 26 cooperating with cut-off cam 27 mounted on the shaft 21. The cut-ott' cam 27 as will be seen from Fig. 2 is provided in its face with an abrupt depression 28. so that as the cam is Vrotated the knife 23 will drop Suddenly to sever the foil. The knife is then raised to its original position by the continued rotation of the cam moving the cam follower 26 out of the depression 28.

or advancing the unwrapped articles in succession into the machine, and in this connection I provide a feed hopper or magazine 29 positioned slightly to one side of the foil and into which the articles are first loaded. This hopper or magazine is equipped with a magaunderstood.

zine slide 30 removable from tlieliiagazine. lhe slide is convcmaitly compositi ot :l tutti: of fibre, preferably split lengthwise so that the same can be placed with a lateral movement over a plurality of spools and then readily slipped into the feed magazinc. Additional spools are added fioin .time to time, as necessary, without however, removing the slide from the magazine. The spools feed by gravity through the slide as will be The magazine is open at the side and as the spools move downwardly through the magazine the lowermost spool comes to rest on the bottom of the magazine from which it is later projected by a pusher 33. 31 designates a folder slide which is provided with an opening 32 extending completely therethrough, and prior to the folding or wrapping operation this opening lies directly over the opening 7 already referred to in the bed plate 8. Inasmuch as the articles to be wrapped come to rest at one side of this opening 7, it is necessary that these articles be given a lateral movement to the left as viewed in Fig. 2 out of the bpttom of the magazine. To effect this movement, a pusher 33 is mounted above the folder slide 31, this pusher being provided with rack teeth 34 on its upper face, engaging a gear 35 mounted on shaft 36. This shaftcarries a sprocket 37 for a chain 38, this chain passing over another sprocket 39. One end of the sprocket chain leads downwardly and is attached at its lower end to spool feed lever 40. The opposite end of the chain is connected through a spring 41 with a fixed bracket 42. The spool-feed lever which is pivoted at 43 to a bracket B on the frame of the machine is provided with a cam follower 44 cooperating with spool-feed cani 45 on thc shaft 21. As this cam rocks the spool feed lever 40r about its pivot, the sprocket 37 and gear 35 will be caused to rotate clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2 and the spool feed pusher 33 will be moved to the left into engagement with the lowerinost article in the magazine or hopper 29, to move this article laterally, this movementl continuing until the article comes to rest upon the tin foil and against a permanent magnet 33 which holds the spool in proper alignment immediately above the opening 7 in the bed plate 8 and the opening 32 in the folder slide 31 these two openings at this time being in register. After the cam follower 44 rides off the high spot on the cam 45 the pusher will be retracted to its initial position by spring 41, as will be obvious.

I m'tzal wrapping operation The spool or other article to be wrapped having been moved into proper position on the foil, means are next brought into operation for forcing the spool. with the foil beneath it downwardly through the restricted opening 32 in the folder slide 31 and into the slmilarly restricted opening 7 in the bed plate '8. The mechanism comprises a plunger 46 acting in opposition to a coil spring 47 which surrounds 4its stem. The plunger is positioned at all, times. immediately above the opening 7. The upper end of the plunger stemd'is bent laterally and then downwardly as indicated at 48 in Fig. 3, and is guided against any motion of rotation by guide 49.

The lower endof the plunger stem is pivotally attached to the inner end of a plunger actuating lever 50, see F ig. 2. This lever carries a cam follower 51 cooperating with plunger cam 52 mounted on the shaft 21 and as this cam rotates the lever 50 will be rocked in the proper direction to move the plunger 46 downwardly into contact with the previously advanced spool and which I will designate 53, forcing the'same, together with the foil, downwardly through the opening 32 in the slide 31 and into the recess 7 in the bed plate. Inasmuch as the opening4 32 in the folder slide is of smaller dimensions than the tin foil and inasmuch as the opening 7 is likewise restricted, it will be apparent that the bottom and sides of the spool will have now been wrapped or covered, the excess foil designated 54 projecting above the top ofv the spool as illustrated in Fig. 4. The spool 53 while'it has .been pushed or projected into the opening 7, is not permitted to pass entirely therethrough hut is gripped by a holding spring 55 located in a groove provided for that purpose about the opening. This spring is covered with felt, plush or other suitable 4material 55 which prevents tearing the foil.

Uompleton `of the wrapping operation,

The projecting Amaterial 54 is folded over the top of the spool by the folder slide 31, and the.mechanism for effecting this operation will now be described. l j

The folder slide 31 is attached to `folderslide lever 56 through a connecting member 57 adapted to reciprocate in an opening 58 provided for that, purpose in the bed plate 8 as will be seen from Fig. 2. This lever,

top of the spool 53 as will be'understood. As`

the cam follower 59 moves off the high spot of the cam 60, the slide, lever 56 will be caused to move inthe opposite direction under the action of the spring 61, the cam 60 being so shaped that this spring will move the folder slide from the position indicated in Fig. 6 to the position indicated in Fig. 7. As illustrated in the Vligure the folder slide in moving to its new position, i. e., from the position of Fig. 6 to that of Fig. 7, will fold lthe remainder of the foil over the top of the spool. I have designated this portion of the foil 54. The spool or other article 53 is now placed about the same so as to embrace the entire article, and the folder slide returns to position to bring the opening 32 therein into register with the opening 7 in the bed plate, ready for the next spool.

Dschargz'ng mechanism .On the neXt cycle of operation of the apparatus thus far described,a second article is fed to position above the restricted opening 7, as will be understood and as the plunger 46 descends to force this seco-nd spool into opening 7, it will displace the previously covered spool and the latter will drop to the bottom of the bed plate, lying in the ope-ning 62 therein and resting upon an unloader slide 63 which prevents the spool from dropping entirely out of the plate. In the final operation of wrapping the second spool, however, the folder slide 31 is moved to the right as shown in Fig. 7, this movement of the folder .slide moving the unloader slide 63 in the same direction, the two slides being united by the member 57. The eXtreme movement of the unloader slide completely uncovers the opening 7, so that the lirst wrapped spool is now free to fall out of the machine and into the unloadingv chute 64. The unloading chute is inclined and the wrapped article will slide'or roll down the same finally to be brought to rest at the discharge end thereof by stop member 65. This member is in the form of a lever pivoted at 66 and-carrying at its outer end, a curved member 67 curved to the' general shape of the spool and extending laterally with respect to the lever. This will appear from an incompletely covered, theA foil having 'been spection of Fig. 5. The article as it discharges from the end of the discharge 'chute to be stopped by member 65 falls upon an unloading platform 68. This platform is provided with a series of grooves 69, 70 and 71 on its upper face, andl means are provided whereby the platform will be moved at'the proper time to bring a groove at the end of the discharge chute. .The purpose of the unloading platform is to enable a number of spools to be deposited thereon and arranged in a tier or row adapted to be readily removed for packing. In the position of the unloading platform as illustrated in Fig. 3,

the rear groove 69 is adjacent the end of the p spool, I provide a'plunger 72 adapted to be actuated by a pin 73 carried by a lever 74 connected through a leverage system comprising levers 74 and 74 to a rod 75, which is provided at one end with an arm 76 adapted to engage the plunger 72. W'hen the rod 75 is rocked through pin 78, levers 74, 74and 74 by depression of the lever 50 already referred to, the plunger 72 is moved to the left into lengagement with a spool in the groove (39 in the unloading platform forcing the same to the left. The row of spools is backed by a weight 77 to keep them on edge and accessible for easy removal. Obviously, therefore, the spools will be fed laterally intermittently as they are discharged upon the unloading platform until a groove is filled, that is, until there is a row of spools in said groove extending practically entirely across the unloading platform.

As above stated, however, the unloading platform contains several of these grooves for the reception of the wrapped spools and initially the platform is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 3 until the groove 71 lies adjacent the unloading chute. Of course this groove is loaded as just described in connection with the groove 69. After this groove has been fully loaded, however, it becomes necessary to move the unloading platform to to the right until the next groove, to wit, the groove comes abreast of the discharge end of the unloading chute. This is done automatically. The mechanism for effecting this operation is shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3. Referring to these figures it will be seen that a slide 77 which I will call the unloading platform slide extends transversely of the machine and is provide-d n each side with a series of lugs, the lugs :it one side being designated 80 while those on v he other side are designated 81. These lugs which I will term controlling lugs are provided for controlling the movement of the slide 77 and are spaced to correspond to the spacing of the grooves 69, 70 and 7l in the unloading platform. The slide 77 is attached to the unloading platform and to its underside a weight 82 is attached by a cable 88 ruiming over a pulley 84. The tendency of this weight is to feed or draw the slide 77 downwardly as viewed in Fig. 1, or to the right as viewed in Fig. 3, carrying with it the unloading platform. Cooperating with the stops 80 is a movable stop or pawl 85 while cooperating with the stops 81 is a. pawl 86. The pawl 85 is connected by a pin and slot connection to a movable plate 87. The pawl 86 is fixed to this plate. Lying beneath the slide 77 as viewed in Fig. l, and attached to the plate 87 is a. pin 88 adapted to cooperate with a. cam 89. This cam is driven from worm and gear o the main drive shaft 21 and as the cam is rotated into engagement with the pin, the latter is caused to move to the right as viewed in Fig. 1, and as the pin rides -oif the cam, the plate 87 will be moved to the left under the action of the spring 87. Assuming that the unloading platform slide 77 is in its initial position, to bring the groove 7l in the unloading platform adjacent the discharge end of the unloading chute and assuming that this groove has been filled, movement of the plate 87 to the right under the action of the cam 89 will move the pawl 86 from engagement with one of the stops 81, while the Apawl 85 will have moved beneath or in the path of a stop 8() o n the opposite side of the slide 79 so that with the pin 88 on the high spot of the cam 89 the slide 77 is still held stationary. As the pin 88 rides off the cam 89, however, the plate 87 is moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 under the action of the spring 87 to withdraw the pawl 85 from engagement with its stop 80. The stops 80 and 81 are offset slightly so that when the pawl 85 is in engagement with a stop 80, the pawl 86 is out of engage ment with a corresponding stop 81. Consequently neither of the pawls 85 and 86 is at this instance in engagement with a stop and the slide 77 is free to be moved under the action of the weight 82 to the right as viewed in Fig. 8 and will continue this movement until the groove 70 in the unloading plat form moves adjacent the discharge end of the unloading chute whereuponthe pawl 8G will engage a stop 81 and further movement of the slide 77 will cease.

Obviously when the groove 70 becomes filled the unloading platform will be again advanced to bring the groove 69 into proper position with respect to the unloading chute. It is obvious from the foregoing that I have provided a machine capable of wrapping articles such as spools of typewriter ribbons for example, which is automatic in its operation, the articles after being charged into a magazine being handled thereafter automatically throughout the wrapping of the articles and their discharge from the machine.

It is evident that various modifications may be made in the construction above described within the purview of this invention,

What I claim is 1. In a machine provided with a wrapping station at which articles are wrapped, means for moving an article to be wrapped together with a. wrapper therefor into said wrapping station. the restricted opening provided b v theA wrapping station effecting on this more ment a partial wrapping of thc article. rc silient means adjacent the wrapping station for retaining the wrapper and partially wrapped article therein, a member for completing the wrapping operation, and means for feeding a second article and wrapper into4 said station to partially wrap the second article and to simultaneously discharge the wrapped article.

2. In a machine for wrapping articles, the

combination of a folder slide and an unload-` ing slide, said slides being arranged in spaced parallel relation, means for effecting the simultaneous reciprocation of said slides, a i lplate between said slides and provided with an opening for the reception of articles to be wrapped, the folder slide being provided with an opening through which Wrappers and articles to be wrapped are fed to the opening in said plate, the reciprocation of said folder `slide completing by reason of said opening the application of a wrapper to the article to be Wrapped, the end of said unloading slide overlapping the opening in the folder slide to prevent discharge of a Wrapped article from the opening in the intermediate plate simultaneous with the movement of a second article into said opening.

3. In a machine provided with a Wrapping station at which articles are wrapped, means for feeding wrapping material to said station and cutting the material to length, amagazine for the articles to be wrapped positioned at vone side of the Wrapping station, a plunger for effecting discharge of articles singly from said magazine and lateral movement of the articles to andupon the wrapper at the Wrapping station, a plunger movable transversely with respect to. the movement of the irst mentioned plunger to move an article to be wrapped 'and a Wrapper therefor into the wrapping station, this movement effecting partial wrapping of the article, a

folder slide lmovable in timed relation with said plungers -for completing the wrapping operation, and an unloading slide attached to the folder slide for controlling the discharge chute for receiving articles from the chute,

and means for bringing the articles to rest upon the landing platform.

5. In a machine for wrapping articles, the combination of a plate provided with a restricted opening and providing a wrapping station, means for positioning a wrapper over said opening, means for feeding an article to be wrapped into superposed relation to said wrapper, and a magnet for retaining the un- -Wrapped article in such position.

6. In a Wrapping machine the combination of a wrapping station comprising mechanism for Wrapping an article, means for moving an article to be Wrapped and a wrapper therefor into the wrapping station partially to Wrap said article and to engage the immediately preceding article, which is completely Wrapped, the engagement of the two articles effecting discharge of the completely Wrapped article from the Wrapping station upon an unloading slide, and means for actuating the unloading slide to remove the/wrapped article therefrom.

This specification 'signed this i31st day of January, 1928. l HAROLD W. A. DIXON.

of a wrapped article from the wrapping station. y

4. In a machine for wrapping articles the combination of a magazine or articles to be wrapped, means for placing Wrappers for the a articles to be wrapped at a wrapping station with which the machine is provided, a plunger for laterally moving articles from said magazine to and upon a'wrapper at the wrapping station, a plunger for depressing-a wrapper and article to be wrapped into said wrapping station to partially wrap the article, a

folder slide, operable thereafter to complete the wrapping operation, an unloading slide, adapted to prevent movement of the article until operation of the folder slide and consequent completion of the wrapping operati0nmeans for moving said. unloading slide to an loperative position, means for moving the succeeding article to be wra erative position relative tofsai plunger t o eration of which effects a partial wrapping o the suceeding article and simultaneously the discharge of the preceding completely. wrapped article, a discharge chute ,the receiving end of which is ad'acent the wrapping station for receiving t e wrapped articles, a landing platform at the disc ped into 01parge end of the g 

